Showing off shifting patterns of color and light, “Ziggy” by Hou de Sousa will create a bright, welcoming space for everyone visiting NYC's Flatiron District this holiday season. The playful installation was announced today as the winner of the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership and Van Alen Institute's sixth Flatiron Public Plaza Holiday Competition, which invites locally based architects and designers to propose a fun, temporary installation in the heart of the Flatiron District.

Hou de Sousa was one of the five participants invited to the closed competition. The jury reviewed proposals by New Affiliates, Only If, Worrell Yeung, and Besler & Sons — who was runner-up with “Mini City Souvenir Plaza”.

Credit: Hou de Sousa.

“Ziggy” is a lightweight structure made of painted rebar and 27,000 feet of iridescent cord. Its winding form will dynamically filter its surroundings with vibrant patterns of color and light, and frame views of the Flatiron District. Plus, it'll provide seating for locals and visitors who want to take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle.

Credit: Hou de Sousa.

“Voluminous but ethereal, the structure allows wind to pass through unnoticed,” Hou de Sousa explains. “The dense pattern of cord that defines its form serves as a colorful static background, but in moving around and through the project, the 30-inch-thick wall transforms into a dynamic filter that kaleidoscopically mixes hues and visually tints the surrounding context.”

“Ziggy is a polyvalent creature that strings together gateways, apertures, and seating,” said Josh de Sousa, principal and co-founder of Hou de Sousa. “This porous wall will welcome folks arriving from all directions while ringing in the holiday season with a flourish of color and light.”

Credit: Hou de Sousa.

Starting November 18, “Ziggy” will be on display every day at the Flatiron North Public Plaza — located at Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street — through January 1, 2020. The installation will also be a centerpiece for the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership's “23 Days of Flatiron Cheer” events during the holidays.